Memphis Set for Midweek Game at Central Arkansas

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Memphis Tigers softball (10-11) prepares for a midweek contest against Central Arkansas (8-10) on Wednesday. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

This will be the final game for Memphis before conference play begins this coming weekend, when the Tigers travel to Tulsa.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS

Memphis comes in to the contest after facing tough competition in the Best on the Bayou Tournament, going 1-4 against Tarleton State, Southeast Missouri and ULM. The Tigers find themselves ranked 204th in the first RPI rankings of the season.

Kennedy Semien continues to lead Memphis at the plate. Her 23 hits and six doubles are both tied for the team lead, while she also leads the team with a .390 batting average, 19 runs scored and a 1.049 OPS. Neely Taylor has also continued to be a consistent piece of the Tiger offense, where she is tied for Semien for the team lead in hits and doubles. Additionally, Taylor is the only Tiger to have started in all 21 games.

A key bat in the heart of the Memphis lineup has been Zoe Adebayo. She currently holds the team lead in extra-base hits (10), home runs (4) and RBIs (16). Adebayo also recently made her 100th-career start as a Tiger against ULM (3/1).

Memphis' pitching staff currently holds a 4.01 ERA and has held opponents to a .276 batting average. Rylee Dugar currently leads the Tigers with 33 strikeouts and is tied with Taniyah Brown in wins with four. Brown leads the staff in ERA (3.22), innings pitched (50) and complete games with four.

SCOUTING THE BEARS

Central Arkansas hosts Memphis for the midweek game after defeating Missouri State, 5-4, on Monday night. The Bears are currently on a three-game winning streak after winning their final two games in the Coach B Classic, hosted by Southern Illinois. They also currently ranked 118th in RPI in the latest rankings.

At the plate, the Bears have a balanced attack, led by Kylie Griffin and Addie Graham. Griffin leads the team with a .400 batting average and has recorded two triples, one home run and six RBIs. Graham leads Central Arkansas in doubles with five and ranks second on the team in average (.368) and tied for third in RBIs with seven. Central Arkansas has also seen consistency in the lineup with six players starting in all 18 games this season.

In the circle, Bailie Runner and Julia Petty have pitched just under 90 percent of innings played. Petty leads the team in wins with four and has recorded 41 strikeouts over 50.1 innings of work, including seven complete games pitched. Runner has the team lead in ERA with a 5.03 over 48.1 innings of work.

THE SERIES WITH…

The Tigers trail in the all-time series 8-3. The matchup has seen its share of streaks with the first five games going in favor of the Bears, the next three going to the Tigers and the three most recent games being won by Central Arkansas.

Memphis and Central Arkansas most recently faced off twice in 2022, with both games taking place in Memphis. The Bears won both contests by scores of 1-0 and 9-0.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For complete information on Memphis Tigers Softball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram , and Facebook.

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Players Mentioned

Zoe Adebayo

Taniyah Brown

Rylee Dugar

Kennedy Semien

Neely Taylor

University of Memphis Athletics